Aggregated net metering allows for a property owner with multiple meters on one property or adjacent properties to implement net metering, such as with a group of university buildings or adjacent farm properties. At least 16 states have authorized aggregated net metering, including Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington and West Virginia.

Virtual net metering expands aggregated net metering, allowing a property owner with multiple meters to distribute net metering credits to different individual accounts, such as to tenants in a multi-family property or condominium owners. Owners of non-adjacent properties can also use credits from production on one property for consumption at another. At least five states have authorized virtual net metering, including California, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

A third concept, community net metering (also known as neighborhood net metering, community-based renewable energy or community solar) allows for multiple users to purchase shares in a single net metered system, either located on-site or off-site. For example, this could take the form of residents in a community or condominium buying shares in a medium-sized solar array. At least 11 states and Washington, D.C., have authorized community net metering or pilot projects: California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

]]>http://www.suncityenergy.com/net-metering/feed/0http://www.suncityenergy.com/net-metering/Solar Panel Site Locationhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sun-City-Solar-Energy/~3/Tvx2-DLQEcI/
http://www.suncityenergy.com/solar-panel-site-location/#respondWed, 27 May 2015 18:20:25 +0000http://www.suncityenergy.com/?p=6493How to Select a Good location for your Solar Panels Before installing a solar panel system, you should consider the following three factors: 1. Orientation 2. Tilt 3. Shading Orientation Will your solar system be facing South, West or East? In Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, the best design is due south and critical if you […]

Before installing a solar panel system, you should consider the following three factors:
1. Orientation
2. Tilt
3. Shading

Orientation
Will your solar system be facing South, West or East? In Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, the best design is due south and critical if you are heating with electricity. If your roof faces southeast or southwest you will only lose about 5-10% of south facing production. However, this is not that critical if you are heating your home with gas or propane and not electricity. West is equally as good as South during summer air conditioning.

Tilt
The “tilt” of your solar array is the angle between your solar modules and the ground. Solar modules at a 0 degree tilt would be flat while a module at 90 degrees would be straight up and down. Since the sun’s path changes throughout the year,as you can see with the two diagrams, your panels will produce the most electricity when hit directly by the sun’s rays. A solar panel in our region performs best at 50 degrees in the winter and 10 degrees in the summer. So the compromise on a fixed roof is 29-31 degrees.

Shading
It is important that your solar site be completely free of shade from trees, chimneys, pipes and surrounding buildings. It is also important to consider the growth of your trees.
Shading issues can be somewhat mitigated by the use of microinverters. However, you may want to consider a ground mount system depending on how great your shading issues are.

In our next Sun City Solar Energy blog, we will discuss the importance of amp service and the amount of amps you can safely back feed into the grid without causing a fire. Our team of solar professionals can determine all of these factors for you so you can sit back, relax, watch your meter spin backwards and know that your solar system is properly installed to it’s peak performance.

]]>http://www.suncityenergy.com/solar-panel-site-location/feed/0http://www.suncityenergy.com/solar-panel-site-location/Solar Booms With Entergy Rate Hikehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sun-City-Solar-Energy/~3/5gWPwi_aEJw/
http://www.suncityenergy.com/solar-booms/#respondWed, 14 Jan 2015 19:13:26 +0000http://www.suncityenergy.com/?p=6347Solar Booms With Entergy Rate Hike Solar booms with help from an Entergy rate hike. Entergy announced a 3.4% rate hike for Arkansans starting February of 2015. Apparently there is a shortfall in rates made to Entergy sister companies in three states (Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana). Don’t expect utility rate hikes to go away. This […]

Solar booms with help from an Entergy rate hike. Entergy announced a 3.4% rate hike for Arkansans starting February of 2015. Apparently there is a shortfall in rates made to Entergy sister companies in three states (Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana). Don’t expect utility rate hikes to go away. This is why solar power is booming in the US.

Solar is inflation free, improves your homes marketability and appraised value AND what other home improvement gives you a 30% tax rebate?

36% of All New Electric Capacity in 2014 came From Solar

Q3 2014 represented the second largest quarter ever for solar installations in the U.S.! This performance represents 41% growth over Q3 of last year. With nearly 600,000 solar installations through Q3, the U.S. solar industry is on pace to complete its 1 millionth installation in 2015. Through Q3, 36% of all new electric capacity installed in 2014 has come from solar. (All data from SEIA/GTM Research “U.S. Solar Market Insight: Q3 2014”).

Installations Continue to Boom; Through Q3, a new solar project has been installed every 3 minutes in 2014. Growth in Q3 was led by the residential sector, which grew 58% over Q3 2014. AND PRICES CONTINUE TO FALL!

]]>http://www.suncityenergy.com/solar-booms/feed/0http://www.suncityenergy.com/solar-booms/Off Grid Solarhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sun-City-Solar-Energy/~3/eYbrZ-m7mls/
http://www.suncityenergy.com/off-grid-solar/#respondTue, 02 Dec 2014 18:30:54 +0000http://www.suncityenergy.com/?p=6333ON GRINCH OR OFF GRID? Everyone living in Winville was looking forward to celebrating another Christmas. Winville was a unique community because all the homes and businesses in the little town had off grid solar systems on their roofs. Their brightly lit decorations were all powered by the sun, and they never had to worry […]

Everyone living in Winville was looking forward to celebrating another Christmas. Winville was a unique community because all the homes and businesses in the little town had off grid solar systems on their roofs. Their brightly lit decorations were all powered by the sun, and they never had to worry about power outages or high electric bills from their Christmas decorations.

The neighboring community of Wattville was green with envy because they had to rely on the power company, and their electric bills during the winter months were often so high they could only afford meager celebrations during the holidays. The power company Grinch further spoiled the season by raising their rates during peak usage, and the children did not get to see the elaborate light displays like those in Winville.

The Watts had nothing to look forward to but higher electric bills, diminishing cash reserves and lumps of coal in their stockings. A few flickering candles and the risk of fires from their space heaters did not bring joy to the season. The power Grinch often added insult to injury when ice storms downed power lines and the whole town went cold and dark. It often took Watt families months to pay off their electric and generator fuel bills. The New Year did not bring much cheer to Wattville.

By contrast, an ice storm in Winville meant ice skating and hot chocolate and warm cozy winters. Everyone radiated health and vitality, and sunny dispositions flourished. There was no need to worry about the increasing cost of energy, and the community became prosperous because they all owned their own power company. The Wins always found renewable hope in the New Year.

“What” will the New Year bring to your homes and communities? “When” will you invest in the freedom of your own power company?

Take advantage of free energy from the sun and call Sun City Solar today. And may all your Christmases be bright.

]]>http://www.suncityenergy.com/off-grid-solar/feed/0http://www.suncityenergy.com/off-grid-solar/Residential Electric Prices Risinghttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sun-City-Solar-Energy/~3/EinwgYlM494/
http://www.suncityenergy.com/electric-prices/#respondSat, 13 Sep 2014 13:11:32 +0000http://www.suncityenergy.com/?p=6255Residential Electric Prices Rising U.S. retail residential electricity prices for the first half of 2014 averaged 12.3 cents per kilowatt hour, an increase of 3.2% from the same period last year. This is the highest year-over-year growth in residential prices for the first half of the year since 2009. Average prices rose in all areas […]

U.S. retail residential electricity prices for the first half of 2014 averaged 12.3 cents per kilowatt hour, an increase of 3.2% from the same period last year. This is the highest year-over-year growth in residential prices for the first half of the year since 2009. Average prices rose in all areas of the country except for the Pacific Census Division (excluding Alaska and Hawaii).

]]>http://www.suncityenergy.com/electric-prices/feed/0http://www.suncityenergy.com/electric-prices/Solar Power Battery Storage Big Winnerhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sun-City-Solar-Energy/~3/of9XDHPwtbI/
http://www.suncityenergy.com/solar-power-battery-storage/#respondTue, 06 May 2014 13:01:06 +0000http://www.suncityenergy.com/?p=5997Consumers to be big winners in solar power battery storage Consumers are using solar powered battery storage at a much faster pace to look after their own needs and future electric pricing. This may very well result in a reduction in electricity prices for nearly all consumers and finally competition for the utilities. According to […]

Consumers are using solar powered battery storage at a much faster pace to look after their own needs and future electric pricing. This may very well result in a reduction in electricity prices for nearly all consumers and finally competition for the utilities.

According to Giles Parkinson, this is the scenario being painted to the utilities industry by global consulting firm PwC, which says the sector is about to go an unprecedented and rapid transition as dramatic as that which affected other industries.

Off Grid

Electricity utilities, it says, are about to face their “Kodak moment” and the key is the emergence of rooftop solar, and its ability provide a cheap source of electricity, as well other “enabling” technologies such as solar power battery storage and smart software.

This, says Mark Coughlin, the power utilities leader for PwC, will fundamentally change the nature of the relationship between utility and the consumer. It will effectively shift the power from the utility to the customer, be they households or businesses, and will challenge the very “right to survive” of the traditional utility.

“This traditional utility model where the company controls the ‘electrons’ and the consumer has little choice is on its last legs – this model is struggling to meet customer needs,” Coughlin says.

“Once a household or a business has a solar panel on the roof or some other power source they are no longer a passive consumer.”

He says that customers are now emerging as competitors to the utilities. “In as little as the next five years consumers will exert unprecedented control over energy supply, usage, service standards and costs,” Coughlin told the Energy Networks Association conference last week.

Hence the emergence of rooftop solar, which is already cheaper than socket-power because it has no delivery costs, and which is starting to challenge some fossil fuel generation, such as rising gas costs, on generation price.

This, coupled with the emergence of battery and other storage technologies, smart meters, and other software that allows energy to be stored and delivered at lower cost on a smaller network, is challenging the traditional business model of the industry.

“Smart grids, smart meters and customer energy management ‘gadgets’ are only the beginning of what is possible,” PwC says in a new report Utility of the Future. Already we can control our home electronics and entertainment via our smart phones and tablets – why not our energy usage on a minute-by-minute basis?”

Coughlin says that these technologies – and new financing structures – will open the door to a flood of new entrants to the industry, be they telco, technology providers, financiers and systems managers, and existing utilities will also rush to form new alliances and joint ventures.

In data, this will include the likes of Google and Apple, in finance it will range from huge investors such as Warren Buffett and Macquarie Group. But PwC says it will also come from local sources. “We expect to see small crowd-funded energy companies emerge in Australia within the next three years,” it predicts.

“Customer energy contracts will greatly favor the customer – suppliers will have little choice in the matter!” the PwC report says, noting that changes to the way services are offered are likely to occur within three years.

“This will mark a major, transformational shift for both the utility sector and customers. “ And it will drive benefits to consumers. “In some cases this will see customers paying more for certainty of supply. In other cases we see the distinct possibility that costs will reduce for customers.”

PwC predicts that the retail market will turn into a “channel fight” focused on costs and choice. The retail sector could be subsumed into other large scale “retail engines” such as data providers and telcos, and other in house service providers. And there is likely to be a big turf war with the network distributor companies over who owns those assets.

“The key will be who has ownership and operational control of distributed generation assets – these will be the swing factor in who can provide the most innovative services for customers.”

Generators will struggle because of the combined impact of falling demand, and rival energy sources, such as rooftop solar. In Europe, nearly $500 billion has been wiped from the value of utility assets – primarily generators – as a result of the impact of new technologies.

“Contracting for long-term demand will become increasingly difficult as time passes given viable alternative sources of supply will almost certainly become available within 10 years,” PwC writes.

]]>http://www.suncityenergy.com/solar-power-battery-storage/feed/0http://www.suncityenergy.com/solar-power-battery-storage/Oklahoma Governor Fallin SB1456http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sun-City-Solar-Energy/~3/wMfoh3-AmUk/
http://www.suncityenergy.com/oklahoma-governor-fallin-sb1456/#respondSat, 26 Apr 2014 18:07:30 +0000http://www.suncityenergy.com/?p=5977Oklahoma Governor Fallin SB1456 Executive Order Supports Solar Excerpts from Executive Order Governor Fallin signed on April 21,2014: All executive entities shall support all forms of energy, including both traditional fossil fuels and renewable energy sources like wind and solar power, as outlined and mandated by the Oklahoma First Energy Plan. This plan promotes wind […]

Excerpts from Executive Order Governor Fallin signed on April 21,2014:

All executive entities shall support all forms of energy, including both traditional fossil fuels and renewable energy sources like wind and solar power, as outlined and mandated by the Oklahoma First Energy Plan. This plan promotes wind and solar as important forms of clean energy which have a significant place in Oklahoma power generation. An essential element of this plan is distributed generation. Senate Bill 1456 must be construed in a manner consistent with the Oklahoma First energy Plan.

Currently approximately 350 Oklahoma individuals and businesses rely on distributed generation produced by small wind turbines and solar power generators. While these customers will not be affected by this bill, this number will grow significantly in the future. This is an exciting development and one this bill encourages.

This bill requires the Corporation Commission to conduct a transparent evaluation of distributed generation consistent with the Oklahoma First Energy Plan. The intent of this bill is to protect all Oklahoma customers and encourage all forms of Oklahoma energy use.

Further, this evaluation mandates inclusion of all stakeholders, including representatives of the solar and wind industries and utilities. Prior to implementation of any fixed charges, this bill allows the commission to consider the use of all available alternatives, including other rate forms such as increased time of use rates, minimum bills and demand charges. A proper and required examination of these and other rate forms will ensure that Oklahoma appropriately implements the Oklahoma First Energy Plan while protecting future distributed generation customers.

]]>http://www.suncityenergy.com/oklahoma-governor-fallin-sb1456/feed/0http://www.suncityenergy.com/oklahoma-governor-fallin-sb1456/Utilities Fight Against Solar Powerhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sun-City-Solar-Energy/~3/AWTK9gSfyEg/
http://www.suncityenergy.com/utilities-fight-against-solar-power/#respondTue, 07 Jan 2014 16:13:14 +0000http://www.suncityenergy.com/?p=5858Utility Companies Fight against Solar The increased installation of residential and commercial solar power systems is causing concern among the nation’s utilities. Utilities fear solar power may upset the traditional centralized model that has existed since the commercialization of electricity. Through net metering, utility customers are able to drastically reduce or even entirely offset their […]

The increased installation of residential and commercial solar power systems is causing concern among the nation’s utilities. Utilities fear solar power may upset the traditional centralized model that has existed since the commercialization of electricity. Through net metering, utility customers are able to drastically reduce or even entirely offset their electric bills using increasingly affordable solar power systems. As more customers choose to install solar power systems, utility revenue may decrease. Utilities believe fewer customers will share the divided costs of grid operation and maintenance. However, solar power benefits are not considered by some utilities:

Relieves strain on transmission lines especially during heavy usage in hot summer months or very cold winters eliminating black outs and power outages

As the cost of a solar power system plummets, the number of solar power installations increase. Since 2008 the cost of a PV module has decreased by 80%.In 2013, 30 percent more solar power systems were installed than in 2012. A 2010 World Energy Council report predicts that in 2100, 70 percent of world energy production may come from solar energy (World Energy Council, 2010). The rapid increase in solar energy deployment threatens electric utilities’ reliance on centralized fossil fuel power plants; Graph shows utilities install more solar than commercial or residential customers.

In grid-connected solar power systems, excess power is provided to the grid in a process known as net metering. In net-metered systems, utilities credit the solar system owner for surplus electric generation the solar power system feeds into the grid. The credit is applied against the power the customer consumes from the grid when the PV system is unable to meet the customer’s electrical demand. Utility customers pay only for the “net” power they consume from the utility. As a result of net metering, it is possible for a utility customer to consume grid power while paying the utility little to nothing. Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, all public utilities are required by law to provide net metering to customers upon request (SEIA, 2013). Currently net metering policies are active in 43 states.

As utility power rates continue to increase and the cost of solar power systems continues to decrease, the cost of solar power will eventually equal the cost of grid power, and even become less expensive. Utilities rely on a top-down business model where power is produced at few, large, centralized power plants and dispersed to grid customers. This traditional model is under threat as the feasibility of power production from numerous solar power systems increases and awareness of the fragility and outdated nature of our existing distribution network is exposed by natural disasters like hurricane Sandy, Richard Caperton of the Center for American Progress outlines a worst-case scenario he calls the “Utility Death Spiral” in which a feedback loop is established where as more customers install solar power, the cost of being grid connected increases, encouraging more ratepayers to leave the grid (Caperton, 2013). At Sun City Solar Energy, installations of off grid and grid tie with battery backup increase substantially each year.

The writing is on the wall for US electric companies and they are well aware of the deep penetration solar has had on some other grids (see: Germany). It is not that utilities are ‘evil’ – in fact if you were to ask any one employee of almost any utility what they thought of solar, their response would almost certainly be positive; Sun City Solar has installed several systems on employees of utility companies. The utilities whose company culture can keep pace with the ideals of their individuals (and match the expansion of distributed generation) are well suited to participate in the evolving grid through transmission and distribution management. The organizations which can’t respond will most likely suffer the same fate as the record labels that ignored the growth of the Web.

]]>http://www.suncityenergy.com/utilities-fight-against-solar-power/feed/0http://www.suncityenergy.com/utilities-fight-against-solar-power/Why You Must Install Solarhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sun-City-Solar-Energy/~3/sgiJP4D7h7E/
http://www.suncityenergy.com/must-install-solar/#respondTue, 24 Sep 2013 16:09:36 +0000http://www.suncityenergy.com/?p=5833Right now is the best time to install solar on your home or building. Why? Technology, efficiency advances and much lower prices. Prices are lower but waiting has some risks. Below are reasons you must install solar now. 1. Increased efficiency, production and lower cost: Solar panels are being produced cheaper than ever. The cost of […]

]]>Right now is the best time to install solar on your home or building. Why? Technology, efficiency advances and much lower prices. Prices are lower but waiting has some risks. Below are reasons you must install solar now.

1. Increased efficiency, production and lower cost: Solar panels are being produced cheaper than ever. The cost of a solar panel has fallen from more than $6 to $2.00 a watt. Prices today are less than half of what they were in 2008 and 2009. Solar Power users pay less over time and you own your power.

This chart shows how much your electricity rates increased from July of 2012 to July of 2013.

Residential Cents per kilowatt hour

July 2013

July 2012

Oklahoma

9.80

9.05

Arkansas

9.94

9.62

Texas

11.42

10.93

Missouri

12.48

11.23

2. Solar Power is Cheaper than Grid Power: Grid power is expected to increase a minimum of 3% per year. That means in 25 years your electric rate will be $0.21 per kWh. The cost of solar energy spread over 25 years is $0.16 per kWh BEFORE any federal or state incentives.

3. Become Your Own Utility have Energy Price Stability: Utility companies are under constant pressure to make more money. They can’t add new services; they can only make and send you energy and raise their rates. Installing solar power is the only way a homeowner can lock-in their electric rate for the next 40 years, inflation free. When you install solar power on your home or business, you know how much electricity your system will produce annually. As energy prices skyrocket all around you, you can forecast energy prices for the years to come. And with net metering, you can actually make money.

4. Be Energy Independent: Most electricity in the United States is produced by coal. Solar Power is the only energy source made by Americans that isn’t affected by events in other countries.

5. Dependability: Solar power has no moving parts. The warranty for power produced from the panels is 25 years. The inverter warranty is 15-25 years, but is expected to last longer.

6. Earn Income: You can get a credit on your electric bill for over producing more solar than you use. This is completely separate from your energy savings.

7. Solar Employs Americans: The US solar industry employs 120,000 people directly and another 9 million people indirectly. This recently surpassed the coal industry which employs 90,000 people directly and 1 Million in-directly.

8. Solar Cannot Be Controlled by Government Agencies or Large Corporations: Once you install a solar electric system, the cost of energy from that system cannot be increased by government taxes, or corporate surcharges. You have protected your energy future from outside interference.

9. Incentives and tax breaks: The solar federal tax credit takes 30% off the total cost of your system.

10. Solar is Clean: Most Americans don’t like waste. We like efficiency, and we like getting things done, making things. We prefer a clean, efficient, and effective source of power over something that is wasteful, dirty and inefficient. Solar power produces energy every day without making any noise, without any smell, and without wasting power in transmission. It’s the ultimate American form of power.

11. Increase Building Value: Whether it’s a home or business, solar installations increase a building’s value.CNN Money reported in 2006 that zeroing out a home’s electric bill with a solar installation could increase the value of a home by up to $20,000. This might be as much as you first paid for your system, but when considering how much you saved in electricity bills while using the solar system and how much it added value to your home at sales time, it’s a sound investment. And the DOE in its publication, A Homebuilder’s Guide to Going Solar says that “Solar homes sell at up to twice the rate of their conventional counterparts”.

12. Energy Reliability : When you choose to install a solar power system with a battery backup, solar provides absolute electric reliability, no more blackouts or brownouts when the grid fails. By installing a solar power system you have reliable, predictable power, no matter what happens.

]]>http://www.suncityenergy.com/must-install-solar/feed/0http://www.suncityenergy.com/must-install-solar/Solar Panel Longevityhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sun-City-Solar-Energy/~3/U1tFQg6lniw/
http://www.suncityenergy.com/solar-panel-longevity/#respondTue, 07 May 2013 14:27:33 +0000http://www.suncityenergy.com/?p=5743Most panels are warranted to be producing a MINIMUM of 80% of their original power in 25 years. The panel is not going to to turn off at the 25 year mark. Many factors affect solar panel longevity. Many of the early solar panels made back in the 1970s are still running at 80% of […]

]]>Most panels are warranted to be producing a MINIMUM of 80% of their original power in 25 years.

The panel is not going to to turn off at the 25 year mark. Many factors affect solar panel longevity. Many of the early solar panels made back in the 1970s are still running at 80% of their original power capacity. After 40 years, they are producing power well past their predicted useful life, these old panels are still operating efficiently.

The regular warranty for most photovoltaic solar panels is 25 -30 years. Here is how the manufacturers come up with this number: They calculate a loss of efficiency of .8% for every year. At this rate of degradation, after 25 years, the panels will be operating at 80% of their original efficiency. Solar panels should meet a minimum 80% efficiency standard, in order to be effective. Therefore 25 years is the time predicted for these panels to degrade below an 80% efficiency rate.

The Good News, there are crystalline panels that have been running for over 40 years.

What can you do to increase your solar panel longevity?

Solar panels don’t require heavy maintenance. Here are some simple steps you can take to keep them functioning at full capacity for a longer period of time than usual.

Pick a manufacturer with a good reputation. For the most part, solar panels are encapsulated in low iron tempered glass and unaffected by the environment. The semiconductor material is isolated from the corrosive atmosphere. If a manufacturer uses sub-standard materials to encapsulate the metal and conductive materials, the panel will degrade.

Make sure they have full access to light. Remove any tree limbs or other plant growth that block sunlight. Any shade will have a negative impact on a solar panel’s efficiency – but not just because of blocked photons. The shaded area will be a high-resistance“hotspot”, even, to some degree, with diodes installed. These hotspots can accelerate degradation of the module over time and lead to premature failure.

Be sure to keep your solar panels clean. This is doubly true in areas with lots of wind. Keep your panels free of dust, dirt, sand and pollen. In more polluted cities, don’t let smog settle on the panels. In winter, keep snow and frost off the panels when possible.

At Sun City Solar, we find you the “Best Panel at the Best Price”. Give us a call.